Matt Ryan made sure he threw the ball to his teammates. That was more than Peyton Manning could say. During a stunning first quarter, Manning was picked off once, then twice, then a third time.
Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons seized on all the mistakes, building a big lead before halftime and holding off the Denver Broncos for a 27-21 victory Monday night. "He's an excellent player. He played well," Manning said. "I think he's going to have a great season and a long and great career."
Manning has already had a great career. This was one game he'd prefer to forget.
"Each turnover has its own story that no one really wants to hear," he said. "I've just got to take care of the ball better."
Ryan threw the 100th touchdown pass of his career, Roddy White had 102 yards receiving and the Falcons (2-0) made a 20-0 lead stand up, if just barely.
Willis McGahee scored on two 2-yard touchdown runs in the fourth quarter to give the Broncos (1-1) late hope. But, on third down, Ryan connected with Julio Jones on a 6-yard pass that gave Atlanta a crucial first down with less than 2 minutes to go.
"It's the way you want to close out the game," Ryan said. "We had some more opportunities to do it (earlier). But fortunately, we got it done when we needed to."
Even though his velocity is supposed to be nearly the same as it was before four neck surgeries and missing his entire final season in Indianapolis, Manning threw a number of wobbly passes that seemed to just hang in the air long enough for the Falcons to step in front of them. Other times, it looked as though he had to put everything he had on the ball to get it where he wanted, even if it wasn't necessarily a deep route.
He finished 24 of 37 for 241 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas just before halftime.
The only other time Manning was picked off three times in the opening quarter was with the Colts in a 2007 game at San Diego.
Ryan was much more efficient than the four-time MVP, completing 24 of 36 for 219 yards. He hooked up with Tony Gonzalez for a 1-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter, then went to White on a 4-yard score in the third period.
Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons seized on all the mistakes, building a big lead before halftime and holding off the Denver Broncos for a 27-21 victory Monday night. "He's an excellent player. He played well," Manning said. "I think he's going to have a great season and a long and great career."
Manning has already had a great career. This was one game he'd prefer to forget.
"Each turnover has its own story that no one really wants to hear," he said. "I've just got to take care of the ball better."
Ryan threw the 100th touchdown pass of his career, Roddy White had 102 yards receiving and the Falcons (2-0) made a 20-0 lead stand up, if just barely.
Willis McGahee scored on two 2-yard touchdown runs in the fourth quarter to give the Broncos (1-1) late hope. But, on third down, Ryan connected with Julio Jones on a 6-yard pass that gave Atlanta a crucial first down with less than 2 minutes to go.
"It's the way you want to close out the game," Ryan said. "We had some more opportunities to do it (earlier). But fortunately, we got it done when we needed to."
Even though his velocity is supposed to be nearly the same as it was before four neck surgeries and missing his entire final season in Indianapolis, Manning threw a number of wobbly passes that seemed to just hang in the air long enough for the Falcons to step in front of them. Other times, it looked as though he had to put everything he had on the ball to get it where he wanted, even if it wasn't necessarily a deep route.
He finished 24 of 37 for 241 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas just before halftime.
The only other time Manning was picked off three times in the opening quarter was with the Colts in a 2007 game at San Diego.
Ryan was much more efficient than the four-time MVP, completing 24 of 36 for 219 yards. He hooked up with Tony Gonzalez for a 1-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter, then went to White on a 4-yard score in the third period.
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